Channel indicating for television receivers

ABSTRACT

A channel indicating device for television receivers, which is adapted to make selections for the VHF and UHF channels through manipulation of a common knob, wherein there is provided a rotary member adapted to be turned in interlocking relationship with the knob, numerals representing the VHF channels are directly indicated on the rotary member, and indication members are detachably mounted on the rotary member by means of attracting forces of magnets whereby clear numerical indication of UHF channels can be produced as in the case of the VHF channels.

United States Patent [191 Uchida et al.

[111 3,855,962 Dec. 24, 1974 CHANNEL INDICATING FOR TELEVISION RECEIVERS Inventors: Kosaku Uchida, Neyagawa; Susumu Ide; Toshiji Kanamaru, both of Osaka; Sadafumi Kitamura, Neyagawa, all of Japan Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan Filed: Sept. 13,1971

Appl. No.: 179,851

Assignee:

Foreign Application Priority Data Sept.14, 1970 Japan 45-91427 U.S. Cl 1l6/124.1, 325/464, 334/86. Int. Cl. H03j 1/02 Field of Search 116/124.1, 124.2, 124.3, 1l6/124.4, 133; 325/455, 464, 465, 460,

461; 334/86, 87, 49, 50; 74/553; 29/161; 40/20 A, 26, 142 A, 331, 77.8; 248/206 A; 35/7 A References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1911 De Silva 35/7 A 1,010,802 12/1911 Rhodes 235/1 C 1,690,670 11/1928 Curtis 40/68 X 1,694,639 12/1928 Brown 1 40/16 X 2,257,022 9/1941 Pressley 116/129 R 2,786,142 3/1957 Tyminski et a1. 325/455 2,788,592 4/1957 Alexander 40/77.8 X 2,810,827 10/1957 Nordby ..325/461 2,942,108 6/1960 Goldstein et a1 334/49 3,478,452 Bidwell et al. 40/68 Primary Examiner-Louis J. Capozi Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Stevens, Davis, Miller & Mosher 1 [57] ABSTRACT 6 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures Pmmiu mw 3.855.962.

sum 1 95 g FIG. lb

FIG. l0 PRIOR ART PRIOR ART ,4 ,3

CHANNEL INDICATING FOR TELEVISIO RECEIVERS This invention relates to a channel indicating device for television receivers.

In conventional television receivers capable of receiving both UHF broadcast and VHF broadcast, a clear numerical indication of a received channel is produced with respect, to the VHF-channels, whereas with respect to the UHF channels, the received channel is indicated by the position on a graduation to which a pointer points. More specifically, in an attempt to re ceive a UHF broadcast, a VHF knob provided on the receiver is turned into register with a predetermined position, and subsequently a UHF knob is turned to the position corresponding to a desired UHF channel while a pointer is being observed over a UHF channel indicating plate. With such an arrangement, inconvenience is inevitably experienced in that two steps of operation are required in an attempt to effect channel selection with respect to UHFbroadcast. Also, the channel indicating construction is complicated. With regard to the UHF channels, the received channel must be determined with the aid of the graduation provided on the indication plate. For example, in the case of the channel 47, the numeral 47 is not normally indicated, and therefore it is difficult for the operator to make a confirmation as compared with the case of VHF.

It is a primary object of this invention to make it possible to easily change the indication number of a UHF channel in a television receiver which is equipped with an increased channel indicating function with respect to the UHF channels. This is achieved by such a design that the numerical indication can be produced also with respect to the UHF channels.

Another object of this invention is to provide a channel indicating device capable of achieving the foregoing object.

Other objects, features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. la is a front view showing a channel indicating device for the VHF channels provided in conventional television receivers;

FIG. lb is a front view showing a channel indicating device for the UHF channels provided in conventional television receivers;

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the channel indicating device according to an embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a portion of a television receiver provided with the channel indicating device according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a front view showing achannel indication member;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a rotary member constituting the main portion of the channel indication device;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a second example of the rotary member;

FIG. 7a is a perspective view each showing a third example of the rotary member;

FIG. 7b is a partial cross-sectional view showing the third example of the rotary member; and

FlG.-8 is a sectional side view showing a modification to the rotary member shown in FIG. 5.

The major part of the conventional channel indication device for television receivers briefly set forth above is schematically shown in FIGS. la and 1b. In

these figures, a VHF knob 1 provided on its associated television receiver rests on a position U, so that the television receiver is intended to receive a UHF broadcast. Then, a UHF knob 2 is tumed-to move a pointer 4 associated in operation with the UHF knob 2 toa desired UHF channel position on a UHF dial plate 3, the UHF knob 2, pointer 4 and UHF dial plate 3 being also provided on the television receiver separately from the VHF knob 1 i Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a rotary member 12 is provided inside a television receiver cabinet 13 (see FIG. 3), and it is adapted for interlocking with the operating system of channel selecting device 11 of .the

television receiver. The operating system of the chan-' nel selecting device 11 includes apredetermined number of UHF channel selecting positions each of which can be preset to a particular UHF channel and a series of VHF channel selecting positions. On the periphery of the rotary member 12, there are marked VHF channel indicating numerals 14 at positions corresponding to the series of VHF channel selecting positions mentioned above, and at positions corresponding to the respective UHF channel selecting positions there re provided indication member mounting portions 16 each having a magnet (described later) adapted to attract an indication member 15 representing a particular UHF channel thereto. The rotary member 12 is disposed in such a manner that one of the indication members 15 attached to the mounting portions 16 and VHF channel indicating numerals 14 which corresponds to a received channel can be viewed through a display window 17 provided in the front of the cabinet 13 of the television receiver as shown in FIG. 3.

g In the case of the Japanese channel system, the rotary member 12 has a'series of VHFchannel selecting positions corresponding to the channels -1 to 12 respectively and a predetermined number of UHF channel selecting positions set up thereon at a uniform rotational angle. The aforementioned channel selecting device 11 is provided with an operating thumb or button '100 by which the rotary member 12 is turned so that any one of the positions set up on the rotary member 12 may be brought into register with the display window 17. At each of the UHF channel selecting positions described above, UHF channels receivable in a particulararea can be preset through manipulation of a preset knob 18 by an operator. In this case, the rotary member 12 is adapted to be turned in interlocking relationship with the above-mentioned operating thumb of the channel selecting device 11.

' Each of the indication member mounting portions 16 is provided with a section of which the contour may be defined either by printing or engraving. For the sake of convenience, the numerals l'to 12 shown at 1 4 which represent the VHF channels may be previously printed on the rotary member 12. The indication members 15 representing the UHF channels receivable in the area are selected from a plurality of numeral plates l9as.

tion member mounting portions 16 with reference to FIGS. 5 to 8.

FIG. 5 shows a first example wherein magnets 20 are embedded in the rotary member 12 at the left and right hand sides of the section of each indication member mounting portion 16 provided on the rotary member 12, so that the indication members can be attracted to the magnets 20.

Thus, the indication members 15 are supported on the indication member mounting portions of the rotary member 12 by means of the attracting forces of the magnets. The replacement of the indication members 15 can be achieved merely by pulling the indication members against the attracting forces of the magnets and causing new indication members 15 to be attracted to the magnets 20. In this way, the replacing operation can be greatly simplified.

FIG. 6 illustrates a second example wherein arcuate magnets are provided at the top and bottom of the sections of the indication member mounting portions 16 in such a manner as to overlap these sections so that the indication members 15 are attracted to the upper and lower magnets 20'. In this case, the magnets 20' may be provided on the peripheral surface of the rotary member covering the plurality of indication member mounting portions 16.

With the arrangements shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, there is a possibility that the numeral plates 19 (indication members 15) may drop down due to shock imparted to the indication member mounting portions 16. In order to eliminate such a possibility, the channel indicating device accordingto the present invention can further be modified such that a protrusion 21 such as shown in FIGS. 7a 7b is provided in front of the mounting portions16. The protrusion 21 defines a groove 21. FIG. 7a is a perspective view of the rotary member 12, and FIG. 7b is a sectional view showing the main portion thereof.

The channel selecting device 11 described above may be either of the manually operable type or of the type operable automatically by means of a motor or the like, and the rotary member 12 may be either of the drum type wherein the mounting portions 16 are provided on the peripheral wall thereof as shown in FIG. 2 or of the rotary disc type wherein the indication member mounting portions are provided on a side face thereof. Preferably, that one of the numerals 14 and indication members 15 provided on the rotary member '12 which corresponds to a received channel may be illuminated from the front. Alternatively, those portions of the rotary member which correspond to the numerals l4 and numerals of the indicia 15 may be gouged out, and that numeral portion which corresponds to the received channel may be illuminated from the back.

FIG. 8 shows a third example similar to that of FIG. 5 except that a lamp 22 is positioned in a cavity formed in the rotary member 12 for the purpose of illuminating the indication members 15 from the back. With such an arrangement, different channel indicating numerals can be successively viewed through rotation of the ro-,

ers, for indicating, in a display window, a numeral of a channel to be used selected among a predetermined number of UHF channel numerals extracted from the entire UHF channel numerals and from among the entire VFH channel numerals, comprising indication members each thereof representing each of said extracted UHF channel numerals and being magnetically attractable; a rotary member, said VHF channel numerals being marked on the peripheral surface of said rotary member, and said rotary member being provided with mounting portions for mounting said indicating members; and magnets provided in said rotary member for attracting said indication members.

2. A channel indicating device for television receivers according to claim 1, wherein said magnets are embedded in said rotary member at the left and right hand sides of each section where each of the indication members representing UHF channel numerals is mounted, so that said indication members are attracted to said magnets.

3. A channel indicating device for television receivers according to claim 1, wherein said magnets are arcuate magnets provided on said rotary member at the 5. A channel indicating device for television receivers according to claim 1, wherein the UHF channel numerals marked on the rotary member and the VHF channel numerals marked on the rotary member are colored in different colors, thereby discriminating be tween the indications of the VHF and UHF channels.

6. A channel indicating device for television receivers according to claim 1, further including means for illuminating the VHF channel numerals and UHF channel numerals. 

1. A channel indicating device for television receivers, for indicating, in a display window, a numeral of a channel to be used selected among a predetermined number of UHF channel numerals extracted from the entire UHF channel numerals and from among the entire VFH channel numerals, comprising indication members each thereof representing each of said extracted UHF channel numerals and being magnetically attractable; a rotary member, said VHF channel numerals being marked on the peripheral surface of said rotary member, and said rotary member being provided with mounting portions for mounting said indicating members; and magnets provided in said rotary member for attracting said indication members.
 2. A channel indicating device for television receivers according to claim 1, wherein said magnets are embedded in said rotary member at the left and right hand sides of each section where each of the indication members representing UHF channel numerals is mounted, so that said indication members are attracted to said magnets.
 3. A channel indicating device for television receivers according to claim 1, wherein said magnets are arcuate magnets provided on said rotary member at the top and bottom thereof in such a manner as to overlap the plural sections where said indication members representing UHF channel numerals are mounted, so that the upper and lower faces of said indication members are attracted to said magnets to be held in position.
 4. A channel indicating device for television receivers according to claim 1, wherein a protrusion defining an upwardly open groove is provided on said rotary member below the sections where the indication members representing UHF channel numerals are mounted.
 5. A channel indicating device for television receivers according to claim 1, wherein the UHF channel numerals marked on the rotary member and the VHF channel numerals marked on the rotary member are colored in different colors, thereby discriminating between the indications of the VHF and UHF channels.
 6. A channel indicating device for television receivers according to claim 1, further including means for illuminating the VHF channel numerals and UHF channel numerals. 